Stopping holes in hull bottoms below the water line



July 19, 1949. Q 5 HARPE 2,476,601

- STOPPING HOLES IN HUL OTTOMS LOW T ATER HE W LINE Filed May 4, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet l July 19, 1949. c. s. HARPER I 2,476,601

STOPPING HOLES IN HULL BOTTOMS BELOW THE WATER LINE Filed May 4, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 19, 1949. s. HARPER 2,476,601

STOPPI HOLES IN HULL BOTTOMS BELOW THE WATER LINE Filed May 4, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 M I Czar/115g; $776 1. A device for plugging with water-proof concrete shot-holes and other such irregular openings formed in the hull of a vessel below the waterline thereof comprising, in combination, an umbrella-like structure having a stem. and a collapsible hood secured to one end of said stem, said hood being expansible radially of said stem to a diameter exceeding the overall dimension of the opening to be plugged, a smoothly-bored funnel insertable axially into said opening and operative as a guideway for axial insertion therethrough of said umbrella-like structure, with the hood thereof in collapsed condition whereby to so position said hood on the outer or water side of the hull that upon radial expansion of the hood it serves as an external closure for the opening, a compressible cup-shaped member shiftable axially upon said stem into position to close said openin from the inner side of the hull, a mass of quick-setting water-proof concrete carried within said cup-shaped member, and means for shifting said cup-shaped member with its mass of concrete axially of said stem, said means being operative to so compress said member as to cause said concrete to completely fill the space contained between the expanded hood overlying the Iouter side of the opening and the compressible member overlying the inner side of said opening.

2. A method of plugging with water-proof concrete shot-holes and other such irregular openings formed in the hull of a vessel below the water-line thereof, which consists in initially fit- .40 Number 4 ting said opening with a smooth-bored funnelshaped member, in then projecting through the smooth bore of said member an umbrella-like structure having a stem and a flexible head expansible radially of the stem to a diameter exceeding the maximum dimension of the opening to be plugged, said structure being projected head-first through said smooth bore whereby the expanded head serves as an external closure for the opening, in thereafter shifting axially of the stem and into engagement with the inside of the hull a compressible member filled with a mass of concrete in plastic state, and in finally compressing said member axially of the stem to force the concrete through said opening and into all of the space confined between the expanded head closing the outer side of said hull opening and the compressible member closing the inner side of said opening, said compressible member being maintained compressed until said concrete has fully set and hardened.

CHARLES S. HARPER;

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 5,845 Seely Oct. 10, 1848 503,079 Gowen Aug. 8, 1893 533,280 Douglas Jan. 29, 1895 1,195,013 Hieggby Aug. 15, 1916 1,249,422 Kook Dec. 11, 1917 1,676,395 Korner July 10, 1928 2,313,110 Wertz Mar. 9, 1943 2,365,488 Nelson Dec. 19, 1944-.

FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain 1892 Great Britain Nov. 16, 1922 

